The Flag Bearer
by Talon Silverwolf
Summary: An army of Gears are stalking a defenseless village and Ky is called to help them. He brings along a young flag bearer to fight with them if a battle breaks out. The bearer is inexperienced, but all for the better to bring him along. Completed.
1. Chapter 1

Winter came early in Paris with freezing air and stinging winds. The snow was kept at a minimum with flurries here and there until it left a fine coating on the ground and buildings. The Holy Order's headquarters gained an extra charm with the white snow, which clung onto its walls and angled roofs.

The cold wasn't on Ky's mind. It was on Gears and a defenseless village.

A messenger had come to him just yesterday to relay a village in east France were being terrorized by Gears and the knights harbored there needed help. Him.

Adding more soldiers wouldn't do much good, only confusion, he decided. There was a fair amount of knights to defend it for now. He just needed to go there himself to access the situation—and another.

He was escorted down to the stables where he felt warmer air as he walked the aisle with horses housed on his right. He turned his head slightly as he passed one stall and said, "Good afternoon, Indigo."

"I think you'll like him," his escort said as they walked. "He's a good kid. Up there, he'll show you." He pointed ahead where a man stood in front of a gate, leaning on it.

"Thank you," Ky said, and the two parted.

He walked to the man who was watching an arena. He was wearing a horseman's attire with tall leather boots. He didn't notice him until he spoke.

"Excuse me."

The man turned his head, stared at him, then his brows flicked once he noticed who he was.

"Umm, sir!" He saluted.

Ky smiled. "It's all right."

"You came for our flag bearer?"

Ky nodded.

The man smiled proudly and said, "He's pretty good. He's at the top of his class. Skilled. But he's inexperienced."

"All the better for him to learn. We're not going into battle at first. I don't think. We need a bearer just in case we _do_ go."

"Very good."

The man then pointed into the arena where there was a small rider on a stocky white horse, armed with a spear. There were several T-shaped poles, and upon closer look there gold rings hanging from the end of the poles.

The rider circled the arena in a gallop, then picked up the pace and charged the poles. He raised his weapon up and speared a ring.

He circled again. Mimicking an attack, he brought his horse up to a sack left by the wall and impaled it with a short throw. The spear hit its mark.

Ky watched him perform more tricks on his attacks and horsemanship. The little horse and its rider moved in perfect unity. There were times he didn't use any tugging or kicking, only signals with his legs and arms.

They had supplied him with a good horseman, so it seemed.

"He's very good," Ky commented. "He doesn't ride like a junior."

"But his inexperience in battle is a concern," the horseman said. "Young fighters and flag bearers like him spook sometimes, or worse, killed."

"I never had one spook on me. How old is he?"

"Sixteen, I think."

He nodded. "I'd like to speak with him. When he's done. If he's willing and ready, we'll be leaving today." He turned and walked down the aisle and said to a stable door, "Indigo."

He stopped at the entrance where he waited, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. He tucked his hands under his arms to keep them warm. His gloves he wore weren't enough to keep his hands warm from the bitter cold. He wasn't expecting to stay out here long.

By the time the tips of fingers began to burn, the boy approached him. He had dark blonde and wore white. He was a few inches shorter than Ky.

"Hello," the boy said shyly.

"Hello," Ky returned. "I saw your performance back there. It's impressive. I didn't catch your name."

"Javelin. Sir."

Ky smiled weakly and held a cold hand out, which the boy took. It was a bit embarrassing to offer him a cold hand but it was all he had.

"You may call me Ky through the trip."

"Oh, sorry, sir." He paused, catching himself. "I mean Ky!"

He couldn't help but smile.

"So, are you ready?" Ky asked him soon after.

"Well, I have to prepare my horse first and fetch my flag."

"I too need to prepare myself. Listen, get everything you need and I'll meet you at the end of the bridge."

"Yes, sir."

Waving a hand, Ky returned inside the stables where he walked to one of the occupied stalls he addressed earlier. He opened the top side of the door where a brown head of a stallion stuck its head out.

"You heard me, huh?" He gave the horse's muscular neck a pat.

Then, behind him, a stable boy appeared. "May I help you with your horse?"

"Yes. Could you get a saddle and reins? It's possible I'm going out for battle."

"Yes, sir. Should I bring him out for you?"

"No."

He didn't want to risk him. His horse, Indigo, had a knack for bitting anyone who tried to touch him or came in enough reach for no reason at all. And kicking was on the menu, too. The horse was a pain. He acted like a wild horse freshly pulled from the wild, and Ky was the only one who could get on his good side. He was restricted only to him. Others were at risk for certain activities. Riding was _absolutely _out of the question.

He was the perfect war horse.

The youngster turned and left. After he did, Ky went inside and greeted the horse with a few scratches.

"We're going soon, Indigo."

He stayed inside with the horse, grooming his mane a few places with his fingers until the boy returned with his arms full of the heavy supplies he requested. He dropped the leather saddle first, which was lugged over his shoulder.

"Do you need help?" the boy asked.

"No, thank you." He reached a hand out and the boy gave him the reins. Ky took them and put the bridle and bit on bit—carefully. He had bit him once in a while.

He dressed the rest of him, strapping the buckles around his belly and chest, then finished it by adding a bard for the saddle, decorated in blue and gold. After he was through, he gave him a once over and stepped out, leaving the horse inside. "I'll be right back."

He returned to the headquarters where he made his own preparations and retrieved Thunderseal from a wide, red-carpeted room. It awaited him for on an altar, protected by magic. It glowed white and blue like a star. He reached for it, and upon recognizing its owner, it broke its shield. With that done, he also retrieved a normal broadsword and sheathed it at his side—for extra precaution, and brought a second cape for the weather. He knew there was a long and cold journey ahead.

When all was in order, he trekked back to the stables where he led Indigo out, mounted, and rode to his meeting point with Javelin. He saw him mounted on his tiny horse holding a blue flagstaff with a gold cross on the center of it. On the tip of it, pointing to the sky, was a sharp silver blade.

Javelin was dressed in full uniform now, white and sky blue, like the color of his flag.

Ky was anxious what he could do.

He waved as he approached.

Javelin smiled, his eyes focused more on Indigo than him.

"He's a Friesian," he said happily, mentioning his horse's breed.

"What's that? Oh. Yes. Come along. We've got a long journey ahead." Then, Ky removed his cut-fingered gloves and pulled out a black leather pair from his pocket and shoved them on instead to save his hands from the cold as they rode.

Securing both swords at his side, holding Thunderseal in one free hand, he led the way.

* * *

The beginning of the trek started in a calm walk, then picked up into a trot during the night. By mourning as they moved further on and saw the mountains rise higher and higher, he knew they would be coming up to the village soon, and with that, the two burst out into a competitive race.

No one would ever catch him playing such a reckless game that could break his neck. He was fond of swordplay, but that was different.

Ky felt like a kid racing like this. It felt good.

The two entered a dark patch of woods where the race went on, twisting and avoiding trees. Going down a small slide towards a long and wide field, Indigo nearly slipped as he went down, though gained traction again when he hit the ground on the field. When they came out, that was when he saw the awaiting village in clear view. A tall gate waited in the distance, a fine finish for their race.

They picked up speed, going as fast as their horses would tolerate. Now it was a race and a hurry to get into the village walls.

Their horses' hooves kicked up snow and Ky leaned up closer to his horse's neck. Now would be a bad time to fall as fast as he was going. Sure, the ground was soft now, but he didn't want to think of what would happen.

They raced side by side, the little horse beside him amazingly able to keep up. Onyx, Javelin called it, did better in the woods, but it still wasn't over.

He saw the gates beginning to open. The closer they got, Javelin erected his flagstaff and kept by Ky, waiting to move in. Now, there was an unspoken rule: first one to pass through the gates was the winner.

They both charged through the open gap, with some of the villagers watching. He hoped they wouldn't plow over any bystanders.

"Quick dismount!" Javelin called like a playful child.

Javelin leapt off Onyx in full run and landed on his feet, sliding a bit on the ice on the street, but the move was graceful. Ky went for the same move, and lost his balance upon his dismount and slid on the ground and fell.

The air went quiet and he knew all eyes were on him.

He made a total ass of himself in front of everyone.

How embarrassing!


	2. Chapter 2

Ky picked himself up after making an ass of himself. People saw him fall—and a few knights. He heard a girl giggle. He put his eyes down to make sure he wasn't noticed by someone he knew.

Big joke. They saw it.

He shot a look back at Indigo. "You made me look like an idiot." He took Indigo's reins harshly.

At the corner of his eye, he saw Javelin walking towards him. When he picked his head up higher, he saw a few knights standing by the side of the streets, staring.

Oh God.

"Are you all right?" Javelin asked him.

"I'm fine," he muttered.

Another knight approached him. "Wow. What happened?"

"I slipped on the ice."

It was a lie. Jumping off a horse at full speed just wasn't his thing. Good way to realize that.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

Ky dusted himself off again. "I'm fine, thank you." He turned his head to Javelin then at the knights as they began to gather around him. A few even came from a distance. He heard a few muttering to themselves.

"Nice to see you all," he said to them.

One clapped and whistled, which made Ky smile.

"How have you all been doing?"

"Safe so far," one said.

"No Gears," another said.

He looked among them and watched more approach from what seemed out of nowhere. "Good, then. Does anyone know where I can speak with the head of this village?"

One raised his hand. A young knight. "I'll show you."

Ky gave him a nod. "If you could."

The knight leapt from a porch and walked to him with a bounce to his step. All of them seemed to be happy to see him, except for one. He thought he got a glance of Sol Badguy. He had no doubt it was him, hidden by a corner . He turned anyway when the young knight led the way with Javelin following. He pulled Indigo along with him, so did Javelin with his horse.

As they walked, he noticed the young knight glancing back at Javelin and neither one of them introduced himself. So Ky did it for them.

"This is Javelin."

The two gave each other a nod of recognition.

Javelin kept quiet, too tired from the trip to speak anything of interest the other boy may want to hear. Or maybe the other boy was quiet by nature. Maybe he didn't care. He didn't know everything about his knights. They came and went. He commanded large armies then smaller the next. He couldn't get to know every one of them. The both he was with were strangers, but it didn't have to stay that way.

"What do you know?" Ky asked the boy.

"You mean around the village? This place is quiet. They have walls and that big gate as their only protection but with the reported Gears, they could still be attacked. It's happened only outside the gate, so they say. We've been watching. The villagers here like it that we're here. You can feel it. Oh, the chief's office is up here." He picked up the pace and led him to a small building next to the police station.

He opened the door and held it for Ky.

Ky stopped and glance around for a spot to tie Indigo, but he saw nothing. Leaving him no choice, he let go of the reins. The horse only stood there like a loyal dog.

Ky stepped into the building, passing the door which the young knight offered. "Thank you." He was led to a door where he knocked.

"Visitors."

"Not now," a man said from behind the door.

"Two knights here. Armed, too."

"Be right there!"

The two exchanged glances and grinned.

Silly.

He heard footsteps and the door opened by the chief himself. He was a short and stocky man. When he saw him, the man looked Ky up and down, looking a bit intimidated at first. But being faced with a man armed with two swords had that effect on some people.

"Ky Kiske," he introduced himself. "Leader of the Sacred Order. Who called?"

"I did!" the main exclaimed.

"Well, let me talk to you. I'd like to hear what's going on."

"Gears, that's what's been going on—"

Ky held up a finger. "We can sit down for this, can't we?"

"Oh, right." The man bowed as if he were in front of some sort of god. "Come in, come in. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

Tea sounded good.

"Thank you. I could take some tea while we talk. I barely had anything on the way."

"That's fine." The man then looked at the younger knight next to him. "Get some tea, won't you? For both of us."

His lips dropped into a frown. "I'm not a secretary!"

"Watch it." The man then looked at Ky. "Keep him under control."

"What am I, a dog now?"

"Enough," Ky growled and held a hand up to the chief. "Forget it. Don't talk to my knights that way, even the younger ones. Have respect!"

"Sorry." He took a fast bow.

Ky ignored it and looked at the young knight. "That's all. Thank you for taking me here."

"Sir." The young knight turned and left.

Ky watched him then returned his attention to the chief. "Will you invite me inside?"

"Yes!"

The man stepped aside and held the door for him. Ky walked into the blue-carpeted office. There was a mahogany desk in front of him and a single window behind it. On his right was a tall bookshelf, half of it full.

There was no chair for him.

Ky watched him as he sat down behind his desk, leaving Ky to stand. Most people would give more respect with a Holy Knight before them. But Ky didn't bring it up. He was too tired. So he stood Thunderseal up and began, "Please explain what's been going on."

"Well, Gears have been stalking outside our walls lately. It must have started two weeks ago. People saw them wandering out front the gates, but no more than three at a time. I was afraid they would bring more and break through the gates and get inside or someone would get killed out there." He paused. "And that's what happened. A little girl was killed. She went outside the gate when she wasn't supposed to. She went out to play. No one noticed until it was too late. After that, that's when I called for the knights. We haven't seen the Gears since."

"If you feel so comfortable now, why did you call for help again?"

"I thought we needed more."

"Numbers wouldn't help. Since the Gears know we're here."

"But are they still out there?"

"I don't know. I haven't talked to my knights about that yet. I just got here."

"Talk to them. Soon."

Ky frowned."I intend to. I will have a meeting with them."

"When?"

"When I can. Be patient."

"My village and people may be at danger. A girl's already been killed and I heard another village, Mallory has been brought down. They may be apart of that raid."

"Sir, I assure you, your village will be safe with my knights. After they came, they haven't shown up again yet, right?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then you are safe for now."

"So this it?" the man boomed. "Is this what you came here for? To tell me I'm safe?"

"No. I'm going to make sure those Gears are gone and they stay gone."

The man gave him a look. A dumb look.

"I'm going to kill them," Ky said.

"Then go out there and kill them."

He couldn't stand it anymore. This man—

"I'm through here," Ky said and left the room.

When he went outside, Javelin and the other boy were gone, except for Indigo, who stood waiting patiently for him.


	3. Chapter 3

The stables were small but perfectly fine for his horse. Then Javelin wondered what Ky would do with his stallion. People around here didn't know about the horse's temperament. They didn't know the rules. They could get bit.

Ky would explain. Whenever he got here.

"There, all set. Now we can go back," the other young knight said. Bowen. He was seventeen, and more experienced than himself.

He started down the exit and into the cold air with Javelin following beside him. He balanced his flagstaff over his shoulder. They crossed the small snow covered yard and into the streets again. Eyes came back upon them as they walked, all of them people of the village. They looked wary but curious about them. He even saw some undressed for the weather, looking over their porches at them. They watched every knight who walked by the street. Many knights talked with the civilians. Casually, even. He hadn't yet figured how many there were stationed here.

He followed him back to the chief's office where he expected Ky to be waiting outside for them after their unannounced leave, but he wasn't. His horse wasn't even there.

Bowen stepped up to the glass door and peeked in, then pulled back. "I don't see him. That was fast."

"Do you know where he went?"

"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "To meet with someone else, I guess."

"What are we supposed to do? I'm not sure if I was supposed to stay with him."

Bowen looked on at him. "Well, if he did, he'll find you. Can't miss you with that flag." He pointed to it.

Javelin grinned. "I guess not."

"We can still get you settled meanwhile. Come on." He nodded his head to the side and led the way back into the street again. They walked back to the street where he and Ky had come through, where it was more active and spotted more activities of the knights. Bowen shot a few waves at them and they returned it. Javelin, although, just kept to himself and watched, walking behind Bowen.

"Keep the flag flying," one called from a porch at him.

Bowen led him to a two story motel and climbed the steps to the lobby. "All of the knights are housed for free. Some are teamed together to save space." He stopped and faced him. "Care to room with me just in case they are filled up? I'm not sure if there are any more available. And it looks like you could use some company, kid."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"Hey, I'm all alone. Couldn't hurt." He turned and walked up a flight of unpainted wooden stairs that led to the second floor. He led the way to a door on the right and went inside. "The best thing about being a knight is getting free rooms. And you get good looks from the girls. A couple eye me up." He went inside where there was a single bed, bare wood floors and a loveseat against the wall. He saw a bow and a quiver pack leaning against a wall beside the bed.

"It's not too bad," Bowen said. "Kind of cold, though. It's a bad idea to walk on the floor with bare feet."

"Thanks," Javelin said and walked in further. He walked to the quiver back and began to put his flagstaff beside it but stopped and pulled it back. He wasn't sure if it was right to put it away like that. It could be dishonorable. When he was at the headquarters, it was taken care of and it had its own place. And he didn't have access to just one. He could grab any one he saw.

He finally decided to set it against the wall anyhow.

"You can rest here if you want. I'm going to the near by tavern for something to eat. It's the building right beside us if you want to join.."

"I could use some rest, in fact, after all that traveling."

"Well, that's fine. You can tell me all about that later. I'll catch you around, partner." Bowen then turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Javelin gave a look around and walked immediately to the bed where he flopped down on it.

When Javelin woke, he was alone. He sat up, rubbed some sleep away before he glanced around. His flag was still leaning against the wall with Bowen's bow and arrows. As he sat there, he felt the rumble of his stomach. He forgot the last time he had eaten. Only a few things here and there during the trip, but at least here he had the chance to get something to eat.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. He looked around and paused when his eyes fell upon his flag, unsure if he should bring it along with him. He bit his tongue, but thought against it. He was worrying too much about it.

Let it rest, he thought. There was no sign of battle.

And so he left the motel with his black boots meeting the snow again, the same riding boots he had worn for hours and hours. They weren't exactly comfortable and not exactly uncomfortable, either.

He looked side to side, looking for the tavern Bowen talked about. He easily saw it on his left. He turned and walked up to the porch where two men were standing. When he passed them, they whispered something to each other, but he ignored them and went inside.

The wooden walls and floors were bare and unpolished. There were several tables and chairs, most of them occupied. Several people were wandering about where it was too crowded to sit. Many of them were knights, dressed or not dressed formally. On one side of the wall was a tapestry of a mountainous world. There were two faded purple mountains, a forest and a grassy field. It reminded him of the mountains in the distance he saw outside of the village's gates.

He heard music. Someone was playing a low song on a acoustic guitar, singing. It was a pleasant song.

He took a few steps further inside, then saw someone wave him down. "Javelin," he heard from behind the talking and music. He squinted and saw Bowen waving for him.

He went to him and joined him at his sole table.

"Hi," Bowen said. "I was about to get up and get something. What's your poison?"

Javelin took a moment. "Tea, I guess."

"Tea and a coffee. Waiter!" He stood and walked to the bartender, where he waited and returned with two coffees for himself and his tea. He quietly sat, fixing their drinks, listening to the music, which was surprisingly played by a knight in the back. They watched people walk by. Then he saw a female knight in white and pink with a long braid going down her back walk past. He picked his head up, watching her, then leaned towards Bowen.

"You have a woman knight!"

"Yeah. That's Hope. She's real sweet."

"It's rare to see a woman knight."

"Yeah. And the people here don't know that, either. Some men whistled at her once and a couple of knights threatened them. And another man tried hitting on her. She could have chased him off, but someone else did. We saw him running past like someone beat him up. Running and scrambling" He let out a short laugh. "We're protective of our ladies."

"Did he get beaten?"

"No. Someone just scared the hell out of him."

"How are the people around here?"

"They're real greatfu—"

He suddenly jumped when something fluttered by them. Javelin felt a flap of wind, then saw a bird perched on the spare chair. Near him, Bowen shouted, "Geez, Kron, enough with the bird!"

A large and stocky man approached them, a bear of a man. His hair was brown and shaggy. He was dressed in a drab brown and white uniform with a gauntlet on his arm. His eyes were pale blue. He came over with a cruel look on his scarred face. It looked like someone took a razorblade to it.

The man stopped by Bowen with a frown on his face. "You coward." He held his arm out which the bird, a falcon, leapt onto his thick leather gauntlet.

He glowered on Bowen then looked at Javelin with that same look."You the new boy?"

He had a rough snarl to his voice.

"Yes, sir."

Not impressed, the man returned his attention to Bowen and slapped him across the back. "It's your turn to guard the watch towers again. Go."

He jumped, hung his head and sighed. "All right." He slowly rose and walked away. "See you, Javelin."

As he left, the man looked at him, frowning. The two exchanged glances, but said nothing to him and walked away, leaving Javelin by his lonesome.

He sat alone, looking down on his cup of tea. He listened to the music, which stopped for a moment then restarted for another song. He sat there for minutes, not sure what to do now, but soon, a white clothed body stopped by his table. It stood there, and when he picked his head up, he saw Ky looking down on him. He watched him carefully. He didn't look angry but he didn't seem exactly pleased.

"Javelin, there you are."

"Sorry. About earlier."

"You mean leaving? What happened?"

"Bowen, the other knight, and I went to take my horse to the stables. We went back and you weren't there. We thought you had some other business to attend to."

"It was irresponsible to do that."

"Sorry."

Slowly, Ky sighed. "At least I was able to find you."

"You needed me for something?"

"No."

Javelin looked down on his cup of tea then looked back up at Ky again. "Can I get you some tea?"

"That wouldn't hurt."

Javelin smiled. "Let me go get one." He rose and left, shifting past older knights, and ordered a cup of tea from the bartender, which he found was free, too. He then returned to Ky, who was still standing. He handed it over to him.

After he did, a knight in white and red passed behind him. He bumped his shoulder into Ky. He snickered before he passed the two.

Ky immediately jerked his head up and snapped it towards the knight. His body suddenly tensed and he stopped what he was doing. He saw his jaw tighten as he watched the knight walk on and leave the tavern.

Ky waited a few seconds then went after him, leaving Javelin behind, confused and alone.

* * *

Ky stormed out the tavern and after Sol. The laughter he heard over his shoulder didn't sit well.

He saw it. He saw him fall off his horse.

If Sol didn't give him respect now, he would rub it in even more. The leader of the Holy Order falling off his horse was a damn embarrassment. And for racing.

Damn. Damn. Damn!

He went after him, but after a few strides, he lost sight of him. He stopped and looked around the snow covered streets, and saw nothing. He looked behind himself then walked off in search of him, beginning to pass a gap between the tavern and another building. When he did, something hit him.

He looked down the opening and that was when he saw it, but he stood there dumbly.

With a handful of a fresh snowball, Sol hurled it at him. This one hit him on the forehead.

"Sol!"

Not thinking, Ky reached down and formed his own snowball and threw it at Sol, who ducked behind a trash can to avoid it. It hit the side of the trash can instead.

Ky stared at him with a blank mind, then—

What the hell was he doing?

Maybe the mountain altitude was getting to his head.

He walked towards him. "Sol, what are you doing?"

"Seeing how much of a kid you really are," he said. "Now you're playing in snowball fights?"

How much did he have to agitate him?

"You started it."

Sol slowly rose from behind the trashcan. "And racing horses."

"That was— Sol, what's the point?"

"A kid shouldn't be here. You take back that other kid you brought and go back. We got it handled here." He walked towards him and tried to get past but Ky took him by the shoulder to stop him.

"Sol, I'm—"

"Get off me, boy." He swung around and punched Ky across the cheek.

He stumbled, holding the spot.

"Touch me again, boy, and you'll get a mouth full of snow."

"Don't walk away from me, Sol," Ky snarled "I'm not done here."

"Who cares?" Sol mumbled and walked away into the street again.

"Sol! Sol!" He chased after him and reached for his arm but by the time he did, he was in clear view of everyone. Again. He didn't want to continue their argument here. He never wanted anyone to see their arguments, so he withdrew.

Knowing he tried to grab for him, Sol looked back at him with ferocious eyes, glowering with a face that waited for him to say something.

But Ky didn't. Not here. Not now.

When he drew back, a toll of a bell rang throughout the village. And it wasn't the toll of a singing church bell. It was the bell of the watch towers at the gates.

Gears flashed in his mind.

He took off running. He ran through the streets with bystanders watching him, including a few stray knights. When he arrived looked up the tall tower closest to him and squinted to see the watchers.

"What's going on?" he shouted up to the crow's nest. There was one on each side.

"A Gear! There's a Gear out there!"

"How many?"

"Just one."

"Any of you armed?"

The man up the tower closest raised up what looked like a pack full of arrows. "Both of us. Orders to attack?"

"How close is it?"

"Too close. Out in the field.'

'Then attack!"

The archer then turned, loaded his bow with a single arrow and fired. On the other side, he saw a large bird fly out the gate.

Ky listened as the Gear roared and snarled outside. The archer on the left sent out a few arrows in flames. The other only stood there, watching, leaning forward.

"What's going on?" Ky asked.

They wouldn't answer him, too focused on the fight. Still, Ky stood on edge and looked up the large gate.

Soon, a group of knights ran up to him, nearly at all sides of him. Most of them were armed.

"There's a Gear outside the gate," he said.

"Then let's get out there!" one cried out, pumping a fist into the air.

Ky put a hand up, glanced to the gate, then returned his attention to the other knights. "Not yet. We put some men up there in the watch towers for a reason."

The men went silent.

Ky listened and looked at the gate near him. The archer fired another arrow into the distance, and this one formed into a bird-like shape as it went. If it wasn't created by him, it looked like it would burn him when he released it.

The other still stood, watching.

So that left the other to attack by himself? How much longer would his arrows last?

All went silent and still again. The two knights above watched the outside, the archer still aiming, and after a while, he disarmed his bow and put his arrow back into his quiver pack.

He looked down below. "I think it's dead," he called down.

"Well done," Ky said. He then looked at the other knights on his level. "Now, let's go outside and make sure that thing's dead. Open the gates, carefully."

He backed up as a few moved in and took the heavy gate on both sides and began to pull. They slipped a little and pulled. The gate creaked. They pulled, pulled, pulled.

He saw the knight from the right tower climb down the latter and walked to them. He was a big man with pale eyes. When he stopped, he raised his gloved hand, and from above, a bird descended and landed on it. It was the same bird he saw fly away from the crow's nest.

A Peregrine falcon. A beautiful creature.

The man looked at him silently before he joined the other men and pulled on the gate with them.

He slipped through when they finally got enough space to make it passable. He could see a lump on the snow that was the Gear. It must have been the size of an oversized bull.

He stood over it and stared at its lifeless body. Its entire body was nearly scorched and riddled with cuts and arrows.

"So this one of the Gears who the people of this village sees. They're getting bold again. That means more may come. Gentlemen, we will out and hunt." He looked at the dark forest in the distance, the one he and Javelin had raced through on their way here. It was a good spot for a Gear in waiting to snatch up human prey. It could even hide an army. They could hunker down and look like rocks and old trees. "We'll start there and spread out. We'll comb this entire area." He then looked towards the mountains, the same mountains that matched a tapestry on the wall in the tavern. But in the picture, it didn't have a dead Gear on it. "We'll start early in the morning, at first sunrise at the gate," he continued. "Be ready for battle. May God be with us." He looked around the frozen area around him then turned and walked back to the village.

He knew little sleep would come to him.

There would be dreams of Gears. Of snow. And of death.


	4. Chapter 4

Ky estimated he had gotten only three hours of sleep during the night, too anxious and too busy listening to the walls of his flat, wondering how safe the village was. His mind stratigized battles as he laid there in his bed or paced the floors. Despite his lack of his sleep, he was ready. He had arrived at the gates before the light of dawn, waiting for his knights to arrive. Now, an hour after his arrival, all his knights were accounted for. Two horses were with them, Javelin's Onyx and his Indigo beside him.

He turned his head and gestured a hand to a group of men waiting by the gates. With his command, two men gathered on each side and began pulling back on the gates. He watched as they strained against the heavy doors and brought them back. They had an easier time than they had last night, and they were trained fighters. Then again, this was their only protection.

When they opened it wide enough for them to pass, Javelin, with his flagstaff held high, went out first, followed by Ky.

The two trail blazed on their horses to the edge of the forest and stopped. Ky looked into it, looking for shapes and even smells, but found nothing on the surface. They had to go deeper into its belly.

"Here," he said, "we will spread out. Look over each rock, tree and log. I was told its where they come out. After we're done here, go to the edge towards the other side of the forest." He pointed. 'We'll regroup there. Good hunting." He entered the dark forest.

He held Thunderseal down towards the ground, ready to strike any Gear hiding below. He held it tight with full leather gloves.

As he rode, he glanced around to keep some of his knights in sight, too. In the distance, he saw Javelin's blue flag. They were all following in its direction. Some stopped to check for any sign of Gears as they went on. Even Ky stabbed an oddly shaped tree but got nothing out of it, only a notch left by his blade.

He looked through each unknown and suspicious shape his human eyes could see. He waited for logs and deadwood to start moving, but no such thing happened. He gave a few swings here and there but didn't bring anything up.

Then, on his right, he heard one knight begin to sing as they went along, trying to disturb any Gear that may be with them and to keep their band together by the sound of his voice. Now they were able to keep tabs on each other by sight and sound.

As he listened, Ky began to recognize the voice. He had heard it last night in the tavern, accompanied by a guitar. Now, he didn't know that singer was one of his knights.

Some of the other knights joined in with him for a few verses, then let the lead singer take over.

It was a song of war.

Darkness, darkness, through fire and rain

Gleaming blade don't fail me now in this twisted fate

I don't want to die for heaven's sake

My eyes watch them come for us all

Fight!

Darkness, darkness, though fire and rain

Fight!

He went on for a few verses while the knights chanted some lines. Ky almost laughed. He never saw such a sight. But the situation was serious.

Through a few hours of searching, they came out of the forest with nothing. It had Gear written all over it, and he and Javelin had gone through it before with no sign. Now that he went slow and in a hunting mood, it was no longer safe. He felt it. There could have been Gears here when they passed through. Was it possible they were the ones who stirred up the Gears and drew the dead Gear to the village? They had been safe since the knights came here.

"All right," he said, "seems like there's nothing here—for now. So, we'll move on." He pointed towards the mountains. "There." He turned his head to Javelin who stood with the others. "Javelin?"

The young flag bearer galloped his horse in front of him then slowed to a walk and trail blazed again.

They all followed him.

Light flurries began to fall by the time the knights neared the mountain face. The snow stretched across the field and climbed up the rocks and crevices. The rocks looked like deep gashes from under its snowy flesh. It ran up and over with angles and drops. They all watched the world that surrounded them cautiously like predators.

There was no signs of Gears, and with the new falling snow. Any signs of Gears would be covered. But that didn't discourage Ky or the knights. They were hardened with callouses and cuts that scarred them from travel and fights. Ky himself had callouses and burns on his hands. His feet could handle more endurance these days than a normal man. He walked and fought until and feet and muscles hurt.

He wasn't the sort who stood by and watched his men go into battle. He went with them.

Indigo pinned his ears back and pulled his head back towards him. He began tossing his head and danced sideways.

"Indigo!" Ky gave his reins a hard yank. It only quieted him a moment before he fought with him again. "Indigo, what's wrong with you?"

The horse stopped, his ears still pinned. He swayed his head with Ky trying to keep him under control. He gave the horse a thump on the side but it did nothing.

He should have listened to his horse. He knew better to trust him.

Out from the mountain side, Gears spilled out and ran down like rain on glass. It was a mass of them. There were even aerial Gears flying over the crest of the mountain.

"Engage! Engage!" Ky shouted while he pointed at the horde. They charged from behind.

The knights spun around and attacked as they neared with Ky running after them. He began slashing with Gears snapping at him and Indigo's side. He stabbed down on a small one and cut his sword across the air and hit a larger one with his magic. Its flesh opened and the creature fell. He did the same to another and another.

The men shouted their battle cries. The fighting around him flashed with light of magic and flash of teeth. They were crowded with Gears.

Ky clenched down on his teeth as he slashed his sword over his horse's head and sent lightning charges into the air over and over. Indigo flatted his ears and ducked his head slightly as he did this.

He spotted Javelin's flag in the chaos, raised high.

Ky slashed down on a Gear lunging at his side, hitting it on its short muzzle. It stumbled back and whimpered like a dog, leaving Ky to strike a deadly blow across its chest.

Another charged head-first at him. Indigo reared as it came closer. Ky held tight and was nearly jolted out of his saddle as he made a light buck followed it. He yanked hard on the reins after he got all four hooves on the ground. He then glanced over momentarily to Javelin again, who was stabbing and slashing at the Gears around him, with the blue flag flying gracefully as he attacked. He didn't look like an inexperienced fighter, not with the fluid courage he moved with and the quickness of his horse under him. Hell, his own wouldn't listen to him. So, Ky abandoned his seat and with the words, "Away, Indigo," the horse ran from him.

Ky returned a glance to the young flag bearer who now was accompanied by an archer, launching a flaming arrow at a Gear, then turned his attention upwards. There was a flock of winged Gears about the size of large vultures overhead. They were hairless, wings like bats and had a tail following behind them. They were headed for the village.

Ky dropped his mouth with his heart pounding before he screamed, "Somebody stop them! They're headed for the village! They'll swarm!"

At his command, two archers, including the one he saw with Javelin, and another knight, the falconer ran after them.

He caught a glance of Sol who sent three Gears flying backwards from a blazing blow from his sword. There were patches of green grass exposed from the melted snow.

Ky's observance was broken when a large white-furred Gear charged him. Ky prepared himself and sent a charge of electricity. It struck its chest, slowing it down, but it didn't stop it. It was going to hit him.

He braced himself and stuck his blade out in front of him as it ran into it. It snapped at the air a few times before it began to weaken, then went limp on top of him. He kept his hold on his sword that impaled the beast and his legs struggled until it felt his entire body was trying to keep it from falling on him. He tried to push it, but he couldn't get it to move. He was pinned.

He looked around to see if the knights saw their leader trapped underneath the beast, but no one did. When Ky turned his head, saw an attack on one of his knights that should have been stopped.

Javelin was thrown from his horse with the whip of a Gear's tail. He landed hard but slowly picked himself up again. When he looked to see the Gear who attacked him, it grabbed him into its jaws and threw him. Ky watched in horror.

Now riderless, the Gear focused on Javelin's horse and did the same to it. Ky's heart made a header for his stomach.

"Javelin!" He struggled harder to push the Gear off, yet he couldn't get if off. He screamed in rage as loud as his lungs could take. On top of him, the Gear got heavier. Ky began to slip and sink under it. It felt like it was melting on top of him. The white of its body over him made it feel like the world was covering him in the snowy white, scared and angry.

Then, finally, the dead Gear began to lift. He turned his head and saw a glance of Sol's body.

"You like getting into trouble, boy?"

Ky sneered at him but had no strength nor words to say anything—except maybe 'go to hell'.

"Get this thing off him! Get this off him!" More men rushed over to him and began to lift it. Ky stopped pushing and pulled himself out from under it. When he pulled his sword from its chest, the blade came out smoothly. Blood spilled from the wound. Ky's arms and hands were covered in its blood. But he cared less about that.

Once freed, he ran immediately for the spot where Javelin had fallen. No, thrown.

"Javelin! Javelin!" He made a dead stop, sliding on the ice and snow. He knelt by his body, which was covered in blood. The snow around him was splattered with it. Some soaked.

Ky stared down on his body, hoping to see some sort of chance he was still alive in this mess, but no, it was too late. Javelin was dead. He died by the time the Gear picked him up in its jaws. The fall only gave him some broken ribs, but the bone crushing bite did him in.

Ky turned his head and past the dead bodies of Gears, he saw the flag standing up from the snow in a sad but victorious pose. Ky stared at it in a hypnotized way. It was wrong. It was wrong to bring him here. They had given him an inexperienced flag bearer and he had ignored their warning about the boy.

It wasn't the Gears who killed him, it was him.

He still stared at it when the others approached him from behind.

"He never dropped the flag," he mumbled. A honorable thing, their sight from chaos, and his only weapon; he never dropped it. They were victorious. But only in battle.

Ky slowly rose and stepped away. There was nothing left but dead Gears and an innocent flag bearer. It was over.

"Indigo!" he then began calling. "Indigo." He stepped through the Gears and whistled. He waited to see the horse to come trotting towards his rider but he saw nothing. "Indigo."

"Ky!"

He turned his head over his shoulder and saw one of the knights walking towards him and shook his head.

Ky watched him, then slowly, it dawned on him what he was about to say.

He quickly looked around and began another search. And it didn't take long for him to find what he was looking for. He saw a color of blue on the white ground and a brown body on the ground. It was Indigo. Ky ran to him and when he stopped, the horse lay still, eyes staring into nothingness. The saddle was half ripped off with the horse's side crushed. Indigo had suffered just like Javelin and his little horse. And again, he was the one who sent him away.

"Indigo," he whispered and went to his knee beside the horse's body. He placed his bloody gloves on his cheek. Cold tears began to brim around his eyes before they fell. All the battles they rode together on, how he was the only one who could touch him, like it was magical; the way he understood, smart and loyal; it was like Indigo wasn't a horse at all.

Now, it was over. He had failed them both. He never let any of his soldiers die on his watch. But what was this? A failure.

He slowly stood, his eyes still on his dead horse. He took a swipe at his eyes, leaving a bloody mark on his face, then heard someone approach him. He took another swipe, pretending to scratch.

He looked over his shoulder and saw two knights walking towards him. One was Sol.

"Any other casualties?" he asked them.

"No," the other knight said. "Everyone else is accounted for. Are you all right?" He looked him up and down. The way he looked, the blood that was on him was a give-away he could be hurt. All he felt was some sore muscles from the heavy Gear being on top of him.

"I'm fine. These are the Gears." He looked into the distance where the aerial Gears had gone, but he didn't worry about that. With the knights who went after them, they would be dead by now. There were too few to do any damage. "We're through," he said and walked off, leaving the others behind.

He walked back to the village ahead of them where he saw the three knights who pursued the aerials standing by the gate. One had his falcon perched on his shoulder.

Ky only walked past them as they watched him. He heard one whisper, "Boy, is he pissed."

Ky approached the face of the doors of the gates and looked up to the guards. They didn't open the gates to him, so he screamed, his rage still in him, "Open the Goddamn gate!"

No. A sin.

After things had calmed down, Ky returned to the chief of the town's office. He calmed himself as much as he could before going in, knowing the man. With a sigh, he grasped the door knob and slid the door open. Inside, he saw the man reclined in his chair with his feet up on his desk, looking out the window.

Ky let out another sigh through his teeth.

"Yes?" the man said, swiveling a bit towards him.

"Your people are safe now," Ky said.

"What?" There was no concern in his voice. But suddenly he put his boots to the floor and sat up once he saw the blood on Ky. His eyes were fixed on him as if he was in the same room with a murderer.

He felt like one.

"There was a battle by the mountains," Ky said. "My men were ambushed. But we won the battle. I think it was the ones who were awaiting your village. You won't be hearing from them again."

The chief stared at him before he said, "I'll have a nurse look at you. You don't look too well."

Ky looked down on himself. His shoulders and arms were covered in blood still. And Javelin's blood was on his hands.

"This? No. It's Gear blood."

The man laughed. "I thought you were hurt. But heck, if you walked around looking like that someone would think you were hurt, about to die. Any one else hurt?"

"Last time we check, none exactly. A few cuts maybe but nothing serious. But. . .two died." He paused. "I mean one!"

"One? You said two."

"My horse died."

"Well, we'll get you a new one."

With that remark, Ky's anger returned like a snap of a twig. "That wasn't just any horse! He was trained by and for Holy Knights! He was a strong and loyal horse. He was mine!"

The man stared at him, shocked by his outrage and thankfully didn't say anything about it.

"Well, I'm. . .I'm sorry you lost one of your men and your horse. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Ky shook his head. "We'll stay here for one more day before we leave. But we'll leave a watcher or two to make sure they are gone. Otherwise, our services are done here." He turned then and went out the door. He got no thank you out of the man.

When he came outside into the cold again, he saw the falconer with Sol beside him. Sol was holding Javelin's flag over his shoulder with the blue cloth flapping behind him. It held the memory of the battle, their victory and Javelin's death.

Slowly, he stepped down and walked past them, anxious to get out of his blood-covered uniform. When he passed Sol, the two exchanged glances, but this time there was no hatred. There was mutualness, serenity and understanding. It took the death of an innocent knight to resort to it. It was the first and last time he saw that look.


End file.
